Halloween is almost here, and it’s the perfect time to bring a little spooky fun into your home or classroom! Instead of just decorating with bats and pumpkins, why not make a bat that can actually jump?
With only a few simple materials like a cup, a rubber band, and a printable bat template, you and your kids (or students) can create a craft that’s not only festive but also packed with hands-on STEM learning. This project is simple, low-cost, and guaranteed to get kids excited about science, creativity, and design while celebrating the season. Let’s take a closer look at how our jumping bat connects to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
Science: Energy That Makes Things Move
The real magic behind the jumping bat is actually science. When you stretch a rubber band, you’re storing potential energy. As soon as you release it, that stored energy changes into kinetic energy, which makes the bat jump into the air! Kids will love seeing how a tiny stretch can create such a big jump. It’s a fun way to learn about energy transfer without opening a textbook.
Technology: Everyday Items as Tools
Technology isn’t just computers and gadgets. It’s any tool or method we use to solve problems or make things work. In this project, a cup and a rubber band become the “technology” that helps your bat move. This project reminds kids that technology doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. It’s about being resourceful and creative with what you have on hand.
Try this: Challenge kids to imagine what other creatures they could create. Could a spider bounce? Could a pumpkin hop? That’s technology in action.
Engineering: Build, Test, Improve
Engineering is about designing and improving. As kids put together their bats, they’ll be making choices: how to attach the wings, where to place the rubber band, and how tight to make it. If their bat doesn’t jump high enough, they’ll need to tweak their design and try again. This process of building, testing, and improving is exactly what engineers do. It teaches perseverance, problem-solving, and creativity.
Try this: Make it a design challenge. See who can come up with the most creative bat design, or who can make their bat jump the highest.
Math: Measuring the Flight
Once your bats are in motion, it’s time to bring in math! Grab a ruler or measuring tape and measure how high each bat jumps. Kids can compare results, keep track of scores, calculate averages, or even graph their findings. Not only does this reinforce math skills, it also makes the activity more engaging as kids root for their bats to beat the record.
Try this: Turn it into a friendly competition between family members or student teams. Record the results and crown a “Bat Champion”!
A Creative STEM Celebration
This Halloween, give kids the chance to build something spooky, playful, and educational. With just a few household items, they’ll see science, technology, engineering, and math come to life in a way that feels like play. The best part? They’ll have a Halloween bat that can actually jump and a story to tell about how they built it. Ready to make your own? Download the printable bat template and follow along with our step-by-step video tutorial to create your very own Jumping Bat.
Bill of Materials
This is the full list of materials you’ll need to build your Jumping Bat project. Feel free to improvise and be resourceful with your household items, that’s part of the maker mindset!
These simple, affordable materials are easy to find, and chances are you already have most of them at home.
Watch the Tutorial
Ready to see how it’s done? Follow along with our step-by-step video tutorial below to watch the Jumping Bat come to life. You’ll see how the materials fit together, learn a few helpful building tips, and even get ideas for creative variations to try at home or in your classroom.
We’d love to see what you make! Share your creations on social media and tag @STEMCenterUSA so we can feature your spooky STEM builds.
Happy spooky season, and happy making!
